Sheridan Media NewsSheridan Media Newshttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/
enNews900Tue, 03 Mar 2015 11:43:26 -0700Tue, 03 Mar 2015 11:48:59 -0700Internationally Known Artist Offers Workshophttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/internationally-known-artist-offers-workshop77212
<p>An internationally known ceramic artist will be offering a workshop and slide show of her work in the local area. Leslie Stratmoen has the <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-32.mp3">details.</a></p>
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Local artist Elaine Olafson Henry, who is an internationally celebrated ceramicist, will lead a workshop this week and present a slide show at Sheridan College in Sheridan. The presentation starts at 9 Friday morning inside the Thorne-Rider Campus Center and the workshop runs Friday afternoon, from 1-4, in the Griffith Memorial Building. Both events are open to the public free of charge.</p>
<p>Art faculty member Tawni Shuler (SHEW-lur) said having an artist of Henry's caliber is “amazing” and provides a unique opportunity for students and community members, alike, to learn from a renowned artist and teacher. Henry talked about her work during one of our Public Pulse <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-33.mp3">shows.</a></p>
<p>In addition to creating works of art, Henry is the editor and publisher of two international journals – “Ceramics: Art & Perception” and “Ceramics TECHNNICAL.” Henry, whose work is internationally published, exhibited and collected, is an elected member of the International Academy of Ceramics. </p>
<p>She's earned two fine arts degrees, her bachelor's from the University of Wyoming and master's from Southern Illinois University, and has taught for more than 10 years at Emporia State University in Kansas, where she served for seven years as art department chair. She also served for two years as the president of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/internationally-known-artist-offers-workshop77212Sheridan Media NewsBarrasso Says Netanyahu Will Receive Congressional Welcomehttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/barrasso-says-netanyahu-will-receive-congressional-welcome77210
<p>In a statement delivered Monday on the U.S. Senate floor, Wyoming's Republican Senator John Barrasso said Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu would receive a warm welcome from Congress today even though he won't be having a meeting at the White House.</p>
<p>He said the prime minister would be talking about the ongoing negotiation with Iran over the illicit nuclear <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-31.mp3">program.</a></p>
<p>According to news reports, a large part of the Democratic delegation planned to boycott the address. By Monday afternoon, 49 House and Senate Democrats had announced they would not attend the prime minister's speech today, according to the New York Times. The total, according to the news source, represents an unprecedented rebellion that is all the more striking because allegiance to Israel has long garnered nearly unanimous support in Congress. The address is scheduled for 11 this morning, eastern standard time, which is 9 mountain time.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/barrasso-says-netanyahu-will-receive-congressional-welcome77210Sheridan Media NewsFearnow Faces Sentencing on Drug Chargeshttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/fearnow-faces-sentencing-drug-charges77194
<p>The Sheridan man who pleaded guilty to last year's burglary of the Hospital Pharmacy in downtown Sheridan will be sentenced this month for seven counts involving possession of controlled substances and taking controlled substances into a jail.</p>
<p>26-year-old Kyle Fearnow initially pleaded not guilty to the burglary and drug charges him, and was scheduled for jury trial starting this week. But last month he pleaded guilty to burglarizing the pharmacy in May of last year. A sentencing hearing is still pending on that charge, according to information from the district clerk's office.</p>
<p>The sentencing hearing on March 20 will be for the drug charges. According to the district clerk's information, the defendant changed his plea, and plea agreements are involved in the drug and burglary charges.</p>
<p>The Sheridan man was arrested in August of last year after he called police to report that someone tried to break into his motel room. When police arrived, they discovered he was wanted on an outstanding warrant and took him into custody. While booking him into jail, authorities found he was carrying a bag containing 400 prescription narcotic pills. Police returned to search his motel room and found more pills and two guns. At that time, he was charged with six counts of possession of a controlled substance, and one count of taking controlled substances into a jail.</p>
<p>The defendant was charged with the pharmacy burglary in January after authorities confirmed that some of the pills in his possession at the time of his arrest had been reported taken when the pharmacy was burglarized.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/fearnow-faces-sentencing-drug-charges77194Sheridan Media NewsCity, Firefighters Negotiate During Council Sessionhttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/mayor-city-firefighters-closer-agreement77202
<p>Sheridan Mayor John Heath said the city council and the local firefighters' union came closer to agreement on a contract for the coming year during a negotiation session on Monday night.</p>
<p>The meeting of the council with Sheridan firefighters George Neeson and John Syring was the last item on Monday's council agenda, and lasted for more than an hour as the two union representatives questioned several articles in the proposed contract.</p>
<p>Among Neeson's concerns was the wording at the end of the proposed contract, which states that the contract stands alone with no prior understandings or agreements attached to it. He also questioned wording in the contract referencing possible differences between the contract and the city employees' handbook. At one point, he said his fear was that if the contract with the firefighters isn't completely clear, the next city council might interpret the wording differently.</p>
<p>The mayor in comments after the meeting said that, although the contract wasn't finalized Monday night, he's hopeful that the city and firefighters' union will reach agreement on or before the next council meeting on March 16.</p>
<p>Also at Monday's meeting, the council heard presentations from seven applicants seeking the sole retail liquor license that the city has available. Each applicant was given 10 minutes to present a brief business plan and explain how he or she would use the license. The applicants were Lou's LLC, doing business as the Wyoming Cattle and Steak Co., Good 2 Go Stores LLC, the Powder River Pizza Co., David Habour, El Tapatios Dos, the Warehouse Market, and partners Derek Gilbert and Chris Johnston.</p>
<p>The council made no decision Monday, but the mayor said that's another decision he hopes may be made at the March 16 meeting.</p>
<p>In other action, the council approved a resolution allocating more than $1 million in funds remaining in the budget from 2014, and approved a request by Table Mountain Vineyards for a permit to operate a satellite winery at 117 N. Main Street in Sheridan.</p>
<p>As part of the consent agenda, the council appointed Ray Moores and Mike Mellgren to the city planning commission, and former City Councilman Robert Webster to the board of adjustments. All three appointments were to fill unexpired terms.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/mayor-city-firefighters-closer-agreement77202Sheridan Media NewsSCSD2 Approves Contract to Sell Gollings Paintingshttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/scsd2-approves-contract-sell-gollings-paintings77199
<p>The sale of Bill Gollings’ paintings, kindergarten registration and the recent Dining For a Cause fundraiser were some of the topics discussed at last night’s Sheridan County School District 2 board meeting.</p>
<p>The board approved the official contract between Whitney Benefits and the district to sell 10 paintings by western artist Gollings that have been in the district’s possession since the 1920s. The paintings are valued at more than $3.2 million. The amount the paintings will be sold for was not released at the meeting.</p>
<p>Also discussed was kindergarten registration for the 2015-16 school year, which currently sits at 231, according to Director of Elementary Education Scott Stults. He said enrollment is down seven students from last year and up 11 students from 2013. </p>
<p>Lastly, Don Julian spoke before the board about the Dining For a Cause fundraiser held at Frackelton’s last Monday to benefit Sheridan High School’s locker room expansion and sports medicine facility <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-15.mp3"> project.</a> </p>
<p>In all, more than $41,000 was raised including matches from local companies Hammer Chevrolet and Sheridan Orthopaedic Associates.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/scsd2-approves-contract-sell-gollings-paintings77199Sheridan Media NewsLibrary Endowment Legislation Makes it to Mead’s Deskhttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/library-endowment-legislation-makes-it-mead-s-desk77200
<p>Both the House and Senate approved the final version of a bill that would extend deadline for the Wyoming Public Library Endowment Challenge Program from 2016 to 2020 and the bill is now on Gov. Matt Mead’s desk.</p>
<p>The challenge, which originally passed as legislation in 2008, outlined an incentive structure to distribute an $18 million state library endowment fund among all 23 county libraries through a matching system. Each library is tasked to raise a certain amount of funds to receive a match from the endowment in return. The counties are divided into three categories by their specific valuation to determine matching funds they will receive from the state, if they reach their goal.</p>
<p>Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library Director Cameron Duff said the bill, HB76, would allow libraries that have already met their goals, which includes the Fulmer Library, to “pledge” their own funds to help other counties. Though, he said, no money will actually leave the county who pledges the funds. The bill was was co-sponsored by Rep. Rosie Berger, of Big Horn, and Sen. Bruce Burns, of Sheridan.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/library-endowment-legislation-makes-it-mead-s-desk77200Sheridan Media NewsExpansion Moving Along For Black Toothhttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/expansion-moving-along-blacktooth77201
<p>A local brewery in Sheridan is in the process of expanding its brewing facility. Hannah Stepenoff has the <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-10.mp3">story. </a></p>
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<p>Construction is moving along smoothly for the Black Tooth Brewing Company’s expansion project, according to co-owner Tim Barnes.</p>
<p>The 6,800 sq. foot structure itself is almost complete and the brewery has also acquired more space near the location for storage. Currently, he said, they are adding the brewing equipment. He gave Sheridan Media an update on the <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-12.mp3">project. </a></p>
<p>Currently, he said, Blacktooth is the second largest microbrewery in the state, but this expansion project will eventually make them number <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-13.mp3">one. </a></p>
<p>The brewery currently serves seven counties in Wyoming, he said, and the end goal is to allow the microbrewery to expand sale of its craft beer to all of Wyoming and parts of Montana and South Dakota. He said a larger facility will allow them to grow creatively, as <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-14.mp3"> well.</a></p>
<p>He said despite doing the project in the fall and winter, construction is on track and the new facility should be ready for its first brewing run in May.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/expansion-moving-along-blacktooth77201Sheridan Media NewsWyoming Newshttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/wyoming-news77205
<p>Latest Wyoming news, sports, business and entertainment</p>
<p>BUDGET BILL</p>
<p> Wyoming Legislature approves supplemental budget bill</p>
<p> CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Both Houses of the Wyoming Legislature have voted to approve a nearly $200-million supplemental budget bill that's heavy on capital project spending. It now goes to Gov. Matt Mead for his review.</p>
<p> The Wyoming House and Senate voted Monday to approve the supplemental budget bill. It will be in addition to the two-year, $3.5-billion general fund budget that lawmakers approved last year.</p>
<p> Lower energy prices since last fall forced lawmakers to intercept roughly $200 million that had been on-track for deposit into the state's rainy day fund.</p>
<p> Lawmakers are covering the additional roughly $200 million in capital project spending by allocating investment returns that the state anticipates to get this year and next. The Wyoming Treasurer's Office hasn't yet booked the money as realized income.</p>
<p> GUNS IN SCHOOLS</p>
<p> Wyoming Senate advances bill to allow guns in schools</p>
<p> CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The Wyoming Senate has advanced a bill that would allow schools and local governments to set policies allowing people who hold concealed carry permits to carry guns onto school grounds or into most public buildings.</p>
<p> The Senate on Monday approved a substitute bill replacing one that already has cleared the Wyoming House. The House version would have allowed concealed carry in schools and elsewhere without allowing local government bodies to decide the issue.</p>
<p> Several neighboring states allow concealed carry on college campuses.</p>
<p> Concealed carry is allowed on the campuses of public colleges and universities in Colorado, Idaho and Utah. The non-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures states that Montana and South Dakota leave it up to each college or university to decide whether to allow concealed carry on campus.</p>
<p> WILD HORSE ROUNDUP</p>
<p> Wyoming horse roundup legality argued before federal judge</p>
<p> LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Attorneys argued in Laramie on Monday over a federal law that carries different requirements for rounding up wild horses depending on whether they're on federal or private land.</p>
<p> The issue before U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal is the roundup of more than 1,200 wild horses in western Wyoming last fall. Few fences separate the area's private and public lands and the horses roamed both types of land.</p>
<p> An attorney for the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign says the roundup wasn't permissible under the act Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. An attorney for the federal government counters the U.S. Bureau of Land Management was obligated under the act to round up the horses at the request of the private landowners.</p>
<p> Freudenthal took the arguments under advisement and will rule later.</p>
<p> BICYCLE SAFETY</p>
<p> Wyoming Senate advances bicycle safety bill</p>
<p> CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The state Senate has advanced a bill that would require motorists to give at least three feet of room when passing bicyclists.</p>
<p> The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports lawmakers voted for the bill 20-10 on Monday on its first of three readings in the chamber.</p>
<p> The legislation requires motorists to give at least three feet of separation when they are overtaking a bike that is going in the same direction. But it only requires that if "space allows" and if the bicyclist is riding lawfully.</p>
<p> Violators wouldn't face arrest or fines because the bill doesn't include penalties. But Sen. Chris Rothfuss, a Laramie Democrat, says it's still a good bill because it raises awareness of an important safety issue.</p>
<p> The bill passed the House 33-25 earlier in the session. </p>
<p> GAME WARDEN EXAM</p>
<p> Wyoming Game & Fish offering online game warden exam</p>
<p> CODY, Wyo. (AP) - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is now offering qualified job applicants the chance to take the game warden exam online.</p>
<p> The Cody Enterprise reports applicants must have a bachelor's degree in a wildlife-related field or be on track to earn the degree by Aug. 31, and have a valid driver's license. The deadline to register for the exam is June 23.</p>
<p> Chief Game Warden Brian Nesvik says "offering the exam online makes it accessible to more applicants and is more efficient for Game and Fish."</p>
<p> Applicants who pass the exam and are selected for an interview will be required to complete a psychological assessment, polygraph and job suitability profile. </p>
<p> MARATHON LAYOFFS</p>
<p> Marathon cuts jobs will affect Cody</p>
<p> CODY, Wyo. (AP) - Layoffs at Houston-based Marathon Oil are playing out in Cody and elsewhere in Wyoming this week.</p>
<p> The Cody Enterprise reported Monday that a company-wide 10 percent staff reduction will affect Wyoming employees.</p>
<p> About 200 people working in Oregon Basin and other oil fields are attached to Marathon's Cody office. About 50 work in the office.</p>
<p> Marathon spokesman Lee Warren says the layoffs stem from the plunge in oil prices.</p>
<p> SCHOOL BUS MECHANIC-THEFT</p>
<p> Former school bus mechanic denies theft charges</p>
<p> JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - A former Teton County school bus mechanic is denying charges that he bought bus parts using a school district credit card and then sold the items online.</p>
<p> The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports 44-year-old Anthony Robinson of Victor, Idaho, pleaded not guilty to felony theft during a District Court hearing on Thursday. His trial was set for June 22.</p>
<p> Robinson was initially charged with spending $20,000 in district money to buy 37 fuel injectors that he apparently purchased from a Tennessee company and then sold back to the same company using his own eBay account.</p>
<p> Investigators have since identified other companies involved in similar transactions. Prosecutors say the total amount stolen could be as high as $160,000.</p>
<p> BICYCLIST KILLED-SENTENCING</p>
<p> Casper man gets 12-16 years in prison for cyclist's death</p>
<p> CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - A Casper man who pleaded guilty to killing a bicyclist while driving drunk has been sentenced to 12 to 16 years in prison.</p>
<p> The Casper Star-Tribune reports Lamont Arthur Jr. pleaded guilty in November to aggravated vehicular homicide for striking 39-year-old Matthew Harker on May 29, 2014. Harker died the next day.</p>
<p> District Judge Thomas Sullins told Arthur before reading the sentence "your record indicates an ongoing problem, not just with alcohol, but with driving under the influence and with assaultive behavior."</p>
<p> Court records say a friend who was in Arthur's car before the collision had asked to be let out because of his erratic driving.</p>
<p> Arthur was convicted of DUI involving a serious injury for a December 2009 crash that badly injured his girlfriend.</p>
<p> CATHOLIC COLLEGE</p>
<p> Wyoming Catholic College opts out of federal student loans</p>
<p> LANDER, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming Catholic College in Lander has elected not to participate in the federal student loan and grant programs.</p>
<p> College President Kevin Roberts says the college wants to keep itself free of federal government influence and control.</p>
<p> He tells KCWY-TV that the college isn't making a moral claim about other colleges or even the federal government.</p>
<p> But Roberts says with federal programs comes federal strings on hiring, admissions and even public restroom facilities.</p>
<p> Wyoming Catholic College offers its own student loans and grants with interest rates comparable to federal loans.</p>
<p> Roberts says the college is increasing its fundraising efforts to continue to bolster its student loans and grants.</p>
<p> PUBLIC LANDS FIGHT-RALLIES</p>
<p> Rallies held against states' push to control US lands</p>
<p> SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Several hundred people gathered Monday at rallies in Utah and Nevada to demonstrate their opposition to efforts by some Western states to seize control of federal lands.</p>
<p> In Utah, people carried signs that read "Protect Wild Utah" and listened to speeches from business, conservation and wildlife leaders.</p>
<p> A similar rally was held in Carson City, Nevada, opposing a measure asking for 7.2 million acres of public lands to be handed over to state officials.</p>
<p> Utah lawmakers passed a 2012 law demanding the federal government hand over about 31 million acres public land by the start of this year. They argued that local officials would be better land managers.</p>
<p> The deadline for the transfer passed with no action, a move predicted by both critics and supporters.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/wyoming-news77205Sheridan Media NewsBHS Presents Spring Play 'Stefanie Hero' This Weekendhttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/bhs-presents-spring-play-stefanie-hero-weekend77196
<p>The Buffalo High School Drama Department will be presenting the play “Stefanie Hero” this Friday and Saturday night at the high school auditorium.</p>
<p>The play is somewhat unusual, compared to what the BHS students normally present, according to Drama Coach Nancy Tabb, who tells us more about the storyline to the <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-43.mp3"> play. </a></p>
<p>Tabb is encouraging both kids and adults to dress in their favorite fairy tale costumes when they attend the play this year, just for fun.</p>
<p>Medoff, she said, seems to have taken a bit of this and some of that from all the well-known fairy tales and implemented those into his story, and she said its fun to make all those connections while watching the kids perform.</p>
<p>The play will be performed both Friday and Saturday nights at the BHS Auditorium, with the curtain going up at 6:30 instead of 7, to allow younger kids to enjoy the performances as well.</p>
<p>The play is free to attend, but donations to the BHS Drama Department are gladly accepted.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/bhs-presents-spring-play-stefanie-hero-weekend77196Sheridan Media NewsNEWY Legislative Tours Scheduled For Augusthttp://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/newy-legislative-tours-scheduled-august77197
<p>The Northeast Wyoming Municipal Leaders (NEWY) recently held a meeting where the upcoming annual legislative tours were discussed, according to Johnson County Commissioner Bill Novotny, who updated the rest of the commission on the plans for the tours.</p>
<p>Novotny said the tours are tentatively scheduled for August 10th through the 14th.<br />
He explained more about their tentative <a href="http://www.sheridanmedia.com/audio/2015/03-03-42.mp3"> plans. </a> </p>
<p>Novotny thought the plan was to bring the Congressional staffers into Casper around noon on the 10th, and then work their way north to Buffalo either that night or early on the 11th, then elsewhere throughout the corner of the state through the 14th.</p>
<p>The tours bring staff from Senators and US House of Representatives to northeast Wyoming where they have visited coal and uranium mines, power plants, ranches, reservoirs and small businesses in Gillette, Sheridan, Buffalo, Wright and other towns throughout the region of the state.<br />
The tours show the staffers how mineral extraction and other industries can work together without harming the environment.</p>
<p>The tour is again expected to have numerous stops in Johnson County, according to Novotny.</p>
<p>Cities and counties with help from the state have funded these tours, and Novotny said NEWY will be approaching those governmental agencies later this year with funding requests.</p>http://www.sheridanmedia.com/news/newy-legislative-tours-scheduled-august77197Sheridan Media News